485: Chapter 485 Three Parties Gather

Yue Xinlan frowned slightly and looked up at Ling Hao in confusion: "Expert? What kind of expert? It's just a Body Integration Stage Cultivator."

Ling Hao smiled but said nothing.

Calling them an expert doesn't necessarily mean they are a true expert.

On the east side of the Erosion Source Blood Tree, there were four or five figures.

The leader had a pale, gaunt Face, a faint, ambiguous smile at the corner of his lips, and stood with his hands behind his back on a protruding rock.

Behind him stood an old man in gray robes, whose aura suggested he was in the Middle Stage of the Body Integration Stage. His Face was weathered, his eyes half-closed, and his aura was as deep and steady as an abyss.

On the west side of the Erosion Source Blood Tree, there were also a few figures.

The woman in front wore a pale green Daoist robe, her hair tied up with a wooden hairpin. Her Face was gentle and delicate, with a faint scholarly air about her eyes and brows.

She looked at the crimson tree shadow covering a thousand miles, a flash of worry in her eyes.

An old woman stood by her side; she had white hair, a kind Face, and held an ebony cane in her hand. Her Spiritual Qi was restrained, revealing her to be a Cultivator in the Middle Stage of the Body Integration Stage.

The two sides looked at each other from afar, faintly locked in a standoff.

Several streaks of light pierced through the air.

Tang Yuanxiang landed directly in front of the Erosion Source Blood Tree. Her crimson palace dress was like fire, with Golden Crow patterns flowing on the cuffs and hem. She raised her eyes to scan the east and west sides, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes.

They arrived quite quickly.

She had originally intended to let An Ruosu come alone, just to enjoy the sight of that "Sect Master's daughter" struggling in distress.

Now that the three parties had gathered...

An Ruosu's gaze crossed Tang Yuanxiang's flamboyant red clothing and landed on the pale green figure on the west side, her eyes lighting up.

"Senior Sister Bai!"

An Ruosu flew down.

The woman in the Daoist robe also saw her.

"Ruosu!"

Bai Zijin hurried forward, grabbed An Ruosu's hand, and looked her up and down. "You're injured? Why is your complexion so poor? Did that Tang Yuanxiang do this?"

The string of questions was filled with undisguisable worry.

An Ruosu shook her head gently, her voice dropping lower. "Senior Sister Bai, I'm fine. It's just a small injury, nothing to worry about."

"And you say you're fine!"

Bai Zijin frowned tightly, her fingertips probing An Ruosu's wrist pulse. After a scan with her Spiritual Qi, her expression changed slightly. "What's with that wound on your left hand? If that force had been any stronger, even with top-quality Medicinal Pill, your left hand wouldn't heal for at least a month! Can't you take better care of yourself?"

An Ruosu lowered her eyelids and said softly, "It was the Erosion Beast Tide. When I was defending the city... I saved someone. It wasn't a loss."

Bai Zijin looked at her, her lips moving, but she ultimately didn't scold her further. She only sighed and took a jade bottle from her sleeve, stuffing it into her hand. "I'll settle accounts with you when we get back. Eat this healing Medicinal Pill first."

An Ruosu took the jade bottle, her fingertips tightening slightly, and responded in a low voice, "…Thank you, Senior Sister Bai."

Bai Zijin looked at her again, reached out to smooth the hair that had been blown messy by the wind, and her voice softened. "When we Seal the Erosion Source Blood Tree later, stand behind me. Don't force yourself, you hear me?"

An Ruosu looked up, met those gentle and firm eyes, and gave a soft "Mn."

The Elder old woman walked over with her cane and nodded kindly at An Ruosu. "The little girl has suffered. Go back and let the Sect Master nourish you properly."

An Ruosu bowed slightly to the old woman, acknowledging the greeting.

In the distance, Tang Yuanxiang took in the scene, a look of disdain curling the corners of her lips. She turned her gaze to the pale man, her red lips curving slightly. "Your information is very prompt; everyone has arrived."

"Senior Brother Han, haven't you always been the best at picking your timing? Why did you arrive so early this time?"

Han Wuji chuckled and retorted unhurriedly, "With the appearance of this Erosion Source Blood Tree, I knew you would definitely come, Junior Sister Tang. If I didn't come early, wouldn't it seem like I wasn't giving you Face?"

"Face?" Tang Yuanxiang sneered. "I'm afraid you just wanted to take the Erosion Source Blood Tree. It's just that…"

She glanced at the woman in the pale green Daoist robe and the white-haired old woman. "…it just happened to be such a coincidence…"

Han Wuji did not deny it. "We belong to the same Sect, so we should help each other. Waiting for you a bit, Junior Sister Tang, is nothing."

"Hmph, all empty talk! Since everyone is here," Tang Yuanxiang looked around at the crowd and said loudly, "then let's follow the old rules—Seal this Erosion Source Blood Tree based on our own abilities. Whoever finishes first gets the ownership of the Erosion Source Blood Tree, and they will be the one to exchange it for rewards from the Golden Crow Holy Land."

In Fusang Province, various Sects can Seal the Erosion Source Blood Tree and submit it to the Golden Crow Holy Land in exchange for resources—Medicinal Pill, Cultivation Technique, spirit mines, or rare Heaven And Earth Treasure.

This can be considered a "bounty" from the Golden Crow Holy Land.

Although no one knows what the Golden Crow Holy Land wants with these Erosion Source Blood Tree, as long as they can exchange them for benefits to improve their strength, who cares.

Tang Yuanxiang raised her chin, her tone arrogant. "I have a Grade 6 Seal talisman. A mere Grade 6 Erosion Source Blood Tree is no problem."

Han Wuji's lips curled, a faint, ambiguous smile on his Face. "Junior Sister Tang is truly impressive. However, this Erosion Source Blood Tree is nearing maturity; a Grade 6 talisman likely won't be enough."

He paused, then added unhurriedly, "I have prepared a Five Elements Spirit Locking Formation—presided over by a Body Integration Stage Cultivator, it is enough to suppress it."

On the other side, Bai Zijin said to An Ruosu in a low voice, "We also brought a Grade 6 Seal talisman. But in terms of strength, we are quite a bit behind them."

An Ruosu looked at Bai Zijin. "Senior Sister, it's fine…"

The Elder old woman sighed, her voice hoarse. "Just do your best. We don't absolutely have to have this Erosion Source Blood Tree; protecting ourselves is the priority."

Tang Yuanxiang glanced at An Ruosu and sneered. "You lot actually have some self-awareness. A single Grade 6 talisman is indeed not enough; to Seal it, you need hard strength."

An Ruosu's hand, hanging by her side, clenched slightly, but she did not retort.

Deep underground, the cave was dark and gloomy.

The main roots of the Erosion Source Blood Tree, like dark red pythons, burrowed down from the soil layer above and clung to the cave walls. The roots writhed, greedily sucking up the Spiritual Qi from the earth veins.

In the center of the cave, a middle-aged man with disheveled, graying hair and a twisted Face sat cross-legged. His tattered robes were covered in bloodstains and mud, and his fingernails were extremely long, glowing with an unnatural dark red color.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the thick layers of earth, as if he could see the Cultivators arguing above.

A twisted smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, and the man muttered to himself, "A bunch of idiots. Still arguing up there about who will Seal the Erosion Source Blood Tree… Once the Erosion Source Blood Tree fully matures and the erosion qi erupts, you will all become my nutrients."

He stroked the thick roots of the Erosion Source Blood Tree beside him with satisfaction, murmuring, "Fortunately, I've been using a Formation to suppress the tree's breathing… The spread of the erosion qi has been slower, which didn't attract any Cultivators above the Void Refinement Stage. A few Body Integration and Soul Transformation Cultivators—this is just right, just right."

A dark red light lit up on his fingertips, and the roots vibrated slightly, as if in response.

On the surface, around the Erosion Source Blood Tree, the red light was dense.

"Then let's see who has the real skills!"

After Han Wuji finished speaking, he acted immediately.

Tang Yuanxiang and Bai Zijin were not to be outdone.

Three figures walked slowly from the distance.

In the front was a figure in green robes, upright and composed, with a calm gait. Behind him, two people followed, one on the left and one on the right.

The woman on the left wore a moon-white dress, cold as frost, with a cinnabar tear mole at the corner of her left eye. The little girl on the right wore a layered dark brown dress with jingling silver ornaments; her Face was young but her expression was calm.

Ling Hao stood still, his gaze sweeping over the three parties, and said indifferently, "No need to argue. You cannot handle this Erosion Source Blood Tree."